The "hoopla" over Cal Ripken breaking Lou Gehrig's streak
for consecutive games played is "also renewing interest" in
Gehrig, according to Stuart Elliot in today's N.Y. TIMES. Darci
Ross, Senior VP/Sports Division for CMG Worldwide, who has
Gehrig's licensing rights and works for his estate, calls it a
"win-win situation." CMG Worldwide is developing Ripken-Gehrig
projects for companies such as Nike, who will hand out trading
cards during the record-breaking game September 6. CMG Worldwide
is also working with the Tufton Group, which represents Ripken.
George Pollack, executor of the Eleanor Gehrig estate, said that
annual gross royalties for licensing of Gehrig's likeness, which
ranged from $4,000-30,000 before Ripken closed in on the record,
now exceed $100,000 (N.Y. TIMES, 9/1).
MOO: The Mid-Atlantic Milk Marketing Assoc. will have
billboards congratulating their spokesperson, Ripken, as he
approaches The Streak. One billboard unveiled today will show a
field of cows with the message: "Good luck, Cal, from the guys
in the field" (AD WEEK, 8/28 issue).
HE'S EVERYWHERE: TriStar Pictures has named Ripken as a
technical consultant for their upcoming project called "The Fan."
The story is about a sports fanatic who stalks his favorite
player when the athlete falls into a career slump. Producer
Wendy Finerman: "Cal's incredible career makes him uniquely
suited to advise us on the rigors and pressures faced by today's
star athletes" (AD AGE ONLINE, 9/1).

NFL Properties President Sara Levinson on the state of the
league: "We have labor rest. If I were a sponsor, I'd be
reluctant to put all my eggs in any sport where there might not
be a season." ... Gallo Wine runs "its first national sports
promotion," when it plugs Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers with the
NFL (USA TODAY, 9/1)....THE SPORTING NEWS gives "High Fives" to
three teams: The Orioles and Phillies for raising money to fight
neuromuscular disease's, including Lou Gehrig's disease, and Abe
Pollin for planning to change the name of the Bullets (TSN, 9/4
issue).....A set of t-shirts spotted at the Winston Cup race in
Bristol, TN: "Keep the Government out of Racing." Driver Rusty
Wallace: "One thing they better realize [is] they're messing with
some real firecrackers down here. These people are opinionated,
and they're tired of people screwing with them" (AP/DETROIT NEWS,
9/1)....USA TODAY's "Ad Track" features Coors Lights Rocky
Mountain themed ads. The results show that Coors "is doing a
good job reaching its target audience while delivering a
likeable, effective campaign." Coors is the No. 3 beer-maker in
the U.S. with 10% of the market (USA TODAY, 9/1)....Disney Chair
Michael Eisner and Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly will dedicate a new
dual ice facility on Wednesday. in an on-ice ceremony with
Mighty Ducks players. Disney ICE will be the new training
facility for the Ducks (Mighty Ducks)....Florida Citrus Sports
has named Frailey and Wilson to handle all advertising and
promotion for the '96 Olympic soccer events in Orlando. The
account is estimated at $350,000 (AD WEEK, 8/28)....In a recent
ad for Playoff Trading Cards, the BRSG agency in Houston "agreed
the best way to sell the set was to show what the cards were
truly made of." The .30 second ad shown nationally on Prime
shows close-ups of parts of a pig's anatomy with the voiceover:
'The training is over. You'll do what was once thought
impossible. ... You will go where no pig has gone before.' The
spot then has quick shots of a pig running across the football
field with the voiceover: "Pigskin Previews. The only football
cards made of real leather" (AD WEEK, 8/28). ....Sports Systems
Services Inc. announced their TeamFax service will provide pre-
game packages written and prepared by the athletic departments of
participating schools. Call 1-800-210-TEAM to subscribe (Sports
Systems Services).

Coverage of the multi-million Nike deal to outfit the Univ.
of Michigan has renewed since the football team debuted the Nike
swoosh on their jerseys. Since the deal was announced last
October, UM's Athletic Dept said they have received only one
complaint. Bruce Madej, spokesperson for UM's Athletic
Department: "All I can say is it was a way to get all of our
sports under one umbrella." But James Tobin writes that "a
grumble or two could be heard" when the team took the field last
week against UVA in the Pigskin Classic season opener (DETROIT
NEWS, 9/1).
ONE ALUM'S OPINION: In Portland, J.E. Vader writes, "Has
the University of Michigan sold its very soul to the dark forces
of the netherworld? And for too low a price?" With the visible
Nike swooshes, the "players seemed like so much branded cattle."
Compared to the reported figures for tennis players like Andre
Agassi, the Michigan deal "looks like peanuts." The deal
"bothers more than a few people," according to Vader, as UM
regent Laurence Deitch said the school was "letting a shoe
company piggyback on the 170 years of tradition to peddle some
shoes." Deitch said he "was appalled" by the deal, calling it "a
step too far in commercialism." Vader: "You can't begrudge the
people at Nike for being smart and wanting to make money," but
adds it hurts those "who cling to the illusion that universities
are for education. ... and then there's commercial ads right on
their bodies. It's not just desecration. It's just bad taste"
(J.E. Vader, Portland OREGONIAN, 8/31).
DO IT FOR THE KIDS: The marketing of street hockey by Nike
and other companies to urban youth is profiled by Robin Givhan of
the WASHINGTON POST. New York marketing expert Marian Salzman
says to "make a product hip and desirable to a young market, it
helps to have black urban kids on your side," as they help many
trends "gain momentum." Givhan writes that "in today's media-
saturated politicized climate, marketing a new sport to a
minority or financially strapped audience is a tremendous
balancing act. Social conscience vs. bottom line" (WASHINGTON
POST, 9/1).

Spalding announced they have signed a long-term deal with
the Canadian College Athletic Association (CCAA) to become
official sponsor of the organization's volleyball and basketball
championships. Spalding Canada will be title sponsor of the
CCAA's National Volleyball and Basketball Championships -- both
men's and women's -- '95-98. Spalding will also provide the
official balls (Spalding).